Networks connect people, ideas, and resources, fostering collaboration, learning, and action in complex settings. They support knowledge exchange, access to resources, and the development of trust, all of which are important when working toward shared goals in areas such as sustainability, health, and community development. Poorly designed networks, however, can place unnecessary demands on time and energy, so thoughtful design and ongoing support matter.
This page is for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers who want to create or strengthen networks in complex situations. Whether your focus is on interest-based networks that share knowledge and ideas, or relationship-centred networks that build trust and collaboration, you will find resources to help you navigate and support network development. Many of these draw on the craft of network weaving, which focuses on the relational work of strengthening ties, building trust, and helping people connect across boundaries.
In practice, working with networks often involves balancing structure and emergence, supporting relationships over time, and creating spaces where people can connect, learn, and act together. From building and mapping networks to working across organisational and disciplinary lines, the resources here offer practical insights for fostering meaningful connections and supporting collective action.
Building and supporting networks – recent developments
Bridging communities, events and insights in a fragmented world
A thoughtful 2025 piece from the Weaving Lab (Nick Graham and collegues) on how well-designed events can foster deeper connection, reflection, and systems impact. In an increasingly fragmented world, this post highlights the importance of intentional convening – where participants move beyond exchanging ideas to building shared purpose, trust, and momentum. Includes practical insights on designing for emergence, holding space across difference, and weaving communities that last beyond the event itself.
Building networks for systemic impact
This 2024 whitepaper from The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) explores how networks can support systemic impact by strengthening relationships, trust, and emergence. Drawing on lived experience and global practice, it highlights five key patterns for effective network weaving – prioritising connection, going at the speed of trust, holding space for uncertainty, amplifying small patterns of change, and caring for wellbeing. The paper calls for deeper recognition of network weaving as a strategic role in systems change.
Network effects: How to rebuild social capital and improve corporate performance
This McKinsey article (2022) highlights how organisations can rebuild social capital – trust, shared values, and relationships – to improve performance in a post-covid hybrid work era. Strengthening social capital boosts collaboration, decision-making, and resilience, essential for thriving in today’s workplace. Key strategies include fostering trust through transparency, enhancing connectivity with collaborative tools, and building a sense of purpose and belonging.
Building integrated networks to develop teaching and learning: the critical role of hubs
This 2021 paper by Lynn Taylor and colleagues explores the role of mentoring and relational trust in fostering professional learning and collaboration, particularly within educational settings. It highlights the importance of structured reflection and learning networks in driving individual and organisational growth. These principles are equally relevant for businesses and organisations seeking to enhance collaboration, build capacity, and foster continuous improvement.
The role of farmer networks in supporting adaptive capacity
This 2023 article by Alissa White et al. highlights how farmer networks help small, diversified farmers in the Northeastern U.S. build adaptive capacity by facilitating knowledge sharing, resource access, and collaborative problem-solving. Key features include creating spaces for exchange with peers and experts, responsive to farmers’ emerging needs, and fostering innovation to address climate risks.
Foundational networking resources
Social network analysis
Olivier Serrat discusses the power of social networks and introduces social network analysis in this 2009 paper, focusing on actors and relationships within a specific context. Describes the benefits that networks can bring to their members and related organizations and how they can be made visible.
Building Smart Communities through Network Weaving
This paper by Valdis Krebs and June Holley investigates building sustainable communities through improving their connectivity ‘internally and externally’ using network ties to create economic opportunities. Improved connectivity is created through an iterative process of knowing the network and knitting the network.
Networking for learning: The human face of knowledge management?
This article is by Niels Keijzer, Charlotte Ãrnemark, and Paul Engel. It is intended to contribute to the debate on networking for learning by exploring its potentials and limitations. It draws substantially on discussions and resource materials shared through the Pelican Initiative, as well as other literature and practical examples, and seeks to identify some entry points into this field for policy-makers and development practitioners.
Introduction to social network methods
This on-line textbook by Robert Hanneman and Mark Riddle introduces many of the basics of formal approaches to the analysis of social networks. This book aims to provide a very basic introduction to the core ideas of social network analysis, and how these ideas are implemented in the methodologies that many social network analysts use.
Boundary organizations in environmental policy and science: An introduction
This 2001 paper by David Guston explores boundary organisations, which facilitate collaboration between scientists and decision-makers by bridging the gap between research and policy. These organisations help manage the divide through accountability, shared authority, and dual-purpose activities, fostering productive interactions between science and societal needs. The concept is widely applicable, including in business and organisations, where navigating the interface between knowledge generation and practical application is critical.
Explore related resources on Facilitation and Cross-sector partnerships and collaborations to deepen your understanding of how networks support collective work. An accompanying page provides links to resources on Team building, communities of practice (COPs) and learning groups.
[* Image: Can Stock Photo]